Crushed Bones
by xxsoraskyninxx
Summary: Longtail's last moments alive as the beech tree falls into ThunderClan's territory, ripping through it and smashing the blind elder. He is left broken and remorseful.


I didn't regret my death at all. It had simply been a mistake, and nothing more. I do not blame my denmates; Mousefur and Purdy at all. It had simply been my decision to go back into the camp. I wasn't forced to, it was just my own decision. A rather stupid one at that, but not one that I regretted entirely.

It had all started when Dovepaw alerted the Clan about the falling tree. I had been sound asleep at that time, but had woken with a start to hear Dovepaw's panicked voice ring through the clearing, "THE TREE IS FALLING!" at first, I had no idea what she was talking about, but I could tell from the fear in her voice, that it was not a joke.

I ran out of the Elders den and raised my head, pricking my ears, and hearing the panicked squabble of my clanmates as they rushed through the clearing, ushering the others out. I help Mousefur to her feet and heard her complain that she could do it herself. But that was the last thing on my mind.

I led both Mousefur and Briarpaw, who had tagged along with us to check that we were both okay, out of the camp.

I had been so lost in my thoughts, that I had not noticed Mousefur trying to get my attention until she angrily nipped my ear, although not hard enough to rip the flesh. I winced from the pain, "Ah, what?!" I asked her, thoroughly annoyed with the older warrior.

Although I could not see it, I could feel Mousefur glaring angrily at me, "I left a mouse behind!" she snarled, trying to push back the pale brown apprentice to get back into the camp. I turn my head towards her voice in disbelief, "You're going to risk your life trying to retrieve a scrap of prey?" I asked her, not daring to believe it.

Mousefur nodded stubbornly, "I don't want to waste any fresh-kill!" she snapped at me, her temper starting to show. I could sense Briarpaw's gaze flit nervously from me to Mousefur and back again. I sighed in defeat, "Alright, alright, don't get your tail in a twist," I told the grumpy elder, "I'll go get it for you." and without waiting for an answer from the dusky brown she-cat, I darted straight back into camp, ignoring the shouts for me to stop from various cats.

I skidded to a halt in the clearing, could hear the creaking of the tree as it's roots strained to hold it still. I streaked back towards the Elders den, where I had last noticed Mousefur eating.

Sure enough, as soon as I set paw into the Elders den, I knew that I should not be there. I lashed my tail nervously as I darted in, sniffing the air nervously for the mouse. I soon found it, half-eaten and still fresh from it having been caught at sunrise. I bent down to pick it up when I heard a screech from outside.

I raced out of the den to see Briarpaw, the apprentice was looking up in horror. I was too much in shock to ask what she was doing here, but I raised my head to the source of the noise, straining my ears to listen, and see what she was so scared about.

The creaking noise of the tree nearly made me drop the mouse.

The tree's roots were snapping at an alarming rate. I saw the heavy trunk fall, almost in slow motion and heading straight for Briarpaw. Before I knew what was happening, I felt my paws go into motion, speeding straight for the young apprentice.

I leaped over and shoved Briarpaw out of the way, just as the gigantic trunk of the beech tree fell right on top of me. I opened my mouth to scream from the bone-shattering pain that I felt, but noticed that I simply could not speak. Briarpaw had been crushed as well, but from a branch instead.

I lowered my head onto my paws, my flanks heaving, taking less and less air every second. I felt my eyelids flicker, there was no way any cat could survive this kind of blow. I closed my eyes, all the past memories I had of ThunderClan rushing through my mind in images.

Pictures of Tigerstar, Darkstripe and I, when we had once been friends. The battle of BloodClan and the image of Graystripe killing the cat; Darkstripe, who I had long ago considered a friend. Swiftpaw's broken up body as he was carried back to camp by the cats who had found Brightpaw and he...when the rabbit blinded both of my eyes for good...

I felt a spasm go through my body, but then, there were the somewhat good memories as well as the bad. There was the time when Bluestar had given me my first apprentice; Swiftpaw. At that time, I had been overyjoyed and I had vowed to the small black and white apprentice that I would shape him into the finest warrior the Clans had ever seen.

I let out a soft sigh, feeling myself take a last shuddering breath. I had died for my friends and my Clan. I was not a traitor like Tigerstar and Darkstripe. I had died honorably, and I was proud of myself. Proud of myself, that I had died for the Clan that I loved most.

I felt a soft smile play across my face, I was...strangely happy. I heard a voice play in my head, the soft and very faint voices of StarClan.

"You are now one of us." whispered the soft voice; a voice I had recognized to be Bluestar. I nodded, "Thank you...Bluestar." I said quietly, and allowed soul to leave my body and join Bluestars; in StarClan.


End file.
